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Since P.J. Carlesimo took over as interim head coach, the Brooklyn Nets have a 30-18 record, tying him with Kevin Loughery for the best start by a coach in franchise history.

With six games to play, the Nets have already clinched their first playoff berth since 2007.

They're fourth in the Eastern Conference, 2 games ahead of the Chicago Bulls, and 3.5 behind the Indiana Pacers.

For the first time since joining the National Basketball Association in 1976, they are assured of a winning road record.

Quite the difference from the 14-14 team Carlesimo took over when Avery Johnson was fired in late December.

Many around the league have high praise for the job that the Scranton native has done.

Yet one word overshadows all.

Interim.

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Becoming a head coach again in the NBA happened a lot sooner than Carlesimo thought it would.

He figured he would be an assistant with the Nets for another year or two. If they had success during that time and there was a job opening, then perhaps he would be considered.

That plan, however, went awry on Dec. 27.

Underachieving with a 14-14 record, Johnson was fired. Carlesimo took over on an interim basis.

"It was a shock to all of us and we were disappointed for Avery," Carlesimo said after beating the New Orleans Hornets on March 12 at the Barclays Center. "It was an unfortunate circumstance, but that's the way it is in the NBA. I've been on the other side of it three times also."

Previously, Carlesimo had been a head coach in the NBA with Portland (1994-97), Golden State (1997-2000) and Seattle/Oklahoma City (2007-09). Each time, he was fired.

He also was an assistant coach with San Antonio (2002-07) and Toronto (2011) before joining the Nets last season.

But when Johnson was fired, Carlesimo suddenly was a head coach again.

"Would I prefer being a head coach to an assistant coach? Absolutely," Carlesimo said. "But there's only 30 (head coaching) jobs in this league. You're really lucky if you get a chance to get one. It's not like it's owed to you."

Carlesimo gives the credit to the players for the way they responded and handled the situation. He said he didn't change much when he took over, the opposite of what happened when the Los Angeles Lakers hired Mike D'Antoni five games into the season. D'Antoni brought in new coaches and a different system and it took the Lakers a while to adjust.

"A vast majority of the stuff that we put in is Avery's stuff," Carlesimo said. "Yeah, we tweaked a couple things here and there. But essentially it has been a smooth transition for the players because it's the same stuff and the same coaches."

Some credit, though, has to go to Carlesimo. He has gotten the players - most notably stars Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez - to buy in and play to their potential.

"He's done a great job," Nets forward Gerald Wallace said. "He's given guys an opportunity to come out and play and express themselves. With a team like this, with so many high expectations, to come on in the middle of the season, he's held the team together and kept us going. It's a credit to him."

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Still, there is an uncertainty to Carlesimo's future.

Owner Mikhail Prokhorov may want to bring in a higher profile name such as Phil Jackson or Jeff Van Gundy next season.

Carlesimo said there is nothing more he can do. Nor does he feel any additional pressure because of the interim tag.

"Yeah, I'd love it if I had a 10-year contract. That would make you feel a little more relaxed," he said. "But it really doesn't make any difference. You're still doing the same things. It's not anything you can control. Whatever happens at the end of the year, happens."

What might it take for Carlesimo to become the Nets' permanent head coach?

A division title?

A deep playoff run?

An NBA championship?

Management hasn't specified. Carlesimo said the team simply just needs to do well the rest of the way.

"Clearly, the better we do, the better our chances are of working next year," Carlesimo said.

Perhaps the Nets' performance during a recent eight-game, 17-day road trip while the circus was at the Barclays Center helped strengthen the case for Carlesimo. Facing six Western Conference playoff-contending teams, the Nets went 5-3.

"There are so many (teams) that are so close to each other in this league," Carlesimo said. "You lose a couple and you can drop from third or fourth (in the standings) to seventh or eighth. Conversely, if you win a couple, you can go from seventh or eighth right up there. And it's not going to change. It'll be the same thing in the second week of April. I'll be surprised if we're not jockeying for playoff position the last couple games of the year."

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Moving from New Jersey to Brooklyn this season, the Nets have been welcomed with open arms.

Fans are flocking to the sparkling new $1 billion arena at Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues. And, they're buying merchandise with the new logo and black-and-white color scheme. Since the start of the season, the Nets rank No. 4 in sales on NBAstore.com and at the NBA Store.

"It's been amazing in one year to move six miles and have as much of a transformation to our franchise as we've had," Carlesimo said.

P.J. Carlesimo simply hopes he can continue to be a part of that transformation. Not just in the interim.

Contact the writer: swalsh@timesshamrock.com @swalshTT on Twitter

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